KOLLAM: Following a four-month trial, the Kollam Additional District and Sessions Court on Monday found husband S Kiran Kumar, the only accused in the sensational Vismaya dowry death case, guilty. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Tuesday. Vismaya, a 24-year-old BAMS student who had complained of dowry harassment, was found hanging in the bathroom of Kiran’s house at Sasthamcotta on June 21 under mysterious circumstances.
Kiran has been convicted under IPC sections 304B (dowry death), 498A (dowry harassment) and 306 (abetment to suicide).“This is a verdict against dowry, the social evil, and not against a single person. We all expect Kiran to get the maximum punishment for the crime,” said special public prosecutor G Mohanraj.The investigating officers and Vismaya’s parents expressed satisfaction with the judgment.
Digital evidence including the phone recordings of Kiran and Vismaya before her death turned out to be vital proof in the case. The audio clip produced before the court included a message sent by Vismaya to her father nine days after her wedding and call recordings of Kiran and Vismaya. In one clip, Vismaya is heard telling her father that she might end her life if she continued to stay at Kiran’s house.
The motor vehicles department had dismissed Kiran, who was an assistant inspector with its enforcement squad in Kollam, from service following his arrest. South Zone IG Harshita Athalluri led the investigation.
During the trial, the prosecution produced 41 witnesses, 118 documents and 12 properties at the court. Kiran was accused of demanding dowry, physical assault, abetment to suicide, inflicting injuries and threatening.